That's When I Love You
by toastedmuffinz
Summary: Reno x Tifa. First attempt for a FF fic. Slight fluff...sweet...


I looked up at the sky above. The fluffy white clouds with the light blue color as its background. I felt a smile creeping onto my lips. A year had passed since the Meteor. So much has changed, but yet it all feels the same. I'm a different person then who I was back then. I exchanged the previous 'adrenaline-rush life' of fighting and kicking people's ass to a more 'mellow-easy life' of serving customers at my new bar, though at times I still need to kick a few people's ass when they try to wreck my bar.

I finally decided to open a new one, sort of like a fresh start, I wanted to make new memories and replace the past ones that haunted me. So I came here, to Midgar, where everyone else was trying to build a new life too. Including the person sitting right beside me. I turned to look at him only to find him staring at me. The warmth and depth in his aqua blue eyes never failed to send shots of tingles through my skin. I smiled at him. His lips cracked into a small smile before quickly turning away to look somewhere else. A slight, barely noticeable, hue of redness appeared at his cheeks. I bit my lower lip to hide my grin. He obviously didn't expect me to catch him staring at me.

_**When you have to look away  
When you don't have much to say  
That's when I love you  
I love you  
Just that way**_

………………………………………………………

"Hey, I'm curious."

"Bout what?"

"Why you…" she pointed at him, "…would suddenly be interested in her?", she then pointed at me.

I felt myself slightly flushed at her words. I sneaked a look at him and thought he looked a little unsure or rather, a little nervous. Yuffie's question had definitely put him on the spot. Everyone turned to look at him, waiting for an answer.

"I…well, I…"

It seems like Mr. Cool & Slick is at loss for words. I stifled my giggle. Yuffie grinned with an evil light in her eyes.

"Huh! So you don't know! Means you're not true! Your feelings for Tifa are not sincere!" she exclaimed. She then turned to look at me. "Dump him Tif. You can do better than this guy here."

"Hey!" He protested.

Everyone laughed.

"So speak. Tell us your feelings for Tifa." Yuffie said, almost too excitedly. Her eyes were growing wider by the second like she was about to get the biggest scoop of the year.

"Well, I just…you know…I…"

When it comes to words of affection, he's never one to say it out. Except when it comes to rude, sarcastic and cynical ones.

"I just…"

"Quit stumbling over your words and say it out. Unless you're a chicken." Yuffie said, and started to make clucking sounds.

He quickly stood up.

"I need to go to the washroom." He mumbled and walked away, only to bump into a waiter carrying a tray full of drinks.

"Woah!" The waiter exclaimed as he tried to steady himself.

"Watch where you're going you ass." He said with a glare and brushed the imaginary dirt off his shirt. The waiter stared at him open-mouthed, clearly surprised. It was pretty obvious it wasn't the waiter's fault. Some people will never change, I mused.

"He has a weird walk." Yuffie suddenly commented.

I shot her a questioning look.

"Look at the way the guy walks. Like…um….he kinda shuffles here and there, slouching in a way….he doesn't even walk in a straight line! He's like a snake!" She exclaimed.

Everyone laughed again, including me. Trust Yuffie to exaggerate sometimes.

"Yuffie, snakes don't walk. They don't even have legs." Nanaki said.

"I know! But he walks like…like one!"

Laughter erupted again as I turn just in time to see his figure slip into the washroom. He does have a slightly funny way of walking…

_**To hear you stumble when you speak**_  
**_Or see you walk with two left feet_**  
_**That's when I love you  
I love you endlessly**_

………………………………………………………

"Where is he?" I mumbled to myself as I looked around. He was supposed to be here 20 minutes ago. The play is about to start in 5 minutes and it doesn't look like we'll be able to catch the first act. Probably not even the second act. I had a sneaky feeling where he was and what he's doing but…

I glance at the clock tower. I sighed. I look at the kitten beside me and sighed again. I amused myself by scratching the feline by its ears as it purr and cuddled close to my leg. When I looked up at the clock tower again, 10 minutes had already passed.

I felt a sudden wetness on my left cheek and looked up. Droplets of water began falling. The kitten let out a high-pitch sound before scrambling away. I looked around, the street was nearly deserted now. Everyone had already gone in to the theatre. The rain was starting to fall even harder. I shielded the rain from blurring my vision by holding up my hands, and quickly scanned the place again. No sign of the flaming red hair. I quickly debated what I should do.

Stay or go? Should I just go in into the theatre first and wait there? What if he can't find me and it didn't occur to him I'm in there? What if he stayed out here and wait?

Eventually, I decide to stay and wait. After what seemed like forever, I finally caught sight of a figure running towards my direction.

"What the hell are you doing out here!" he shouted as he reached my side.

"Waiting for you." I answered.

"What?"

The rain was draining out our voices, so I raised my voice.

"Waiting for you!"

"Whatever the fuck for?"

"We were supposed to catch the play! Which had already started about 20 minutes ago!"

A sudden realization seem to hit him in the head right then. I watch as the aqua blue orbs cast a glance at the ground with a sheepish grin forming on his face.

"I forgot!"

"I should've known!"

"I was…"

"Gambling!" I finished for him with a meaningful look.

"I lost the stupid fucking thing. I guess I got carried away…"

"Forget it!" I interjected.

"I didn't mean to…"

I shook my head to emphasize my previous statement. He looked at me for a moment there before taking off his jacket. He then held it over my head to shield me from the rain. I glanced at him. The rain seemed to illuminate a unique sparkle in the aqua blue eyes of his. I couldn't help it but to smile despite myself. His face cracked into one of his usual charming grin.

_**And when you're mad cause you lost a game**_  
**_Forget I'm waiting in the rain_**  
_**Baby I love you  
I love you anyway**_

………………………………………………………

My lips trembled, I could feel the tears forming in my eyes as I struggled to hold them back. I didn't want to cry but I couldn't help it. I gave in to the tears and let it come crashing down my cheeks. I sniffled and wiped my tears with the back of my hand but it was pointless, the tears kept coming.

I shifted slightly and looked up at his face to see his reaction. There was a lump in his throat and he swallowed hard. I kept staring. He looked away to the other side and started to clear his throat.

"You're touch by the story aren't you?" I started to tease him.

"No way!"

"Then why are you looking the other way?"

"I felt… a goddamn strain in my neck." He replied, still looking the other way.

I grinned and tried to make him to turn and look at me instead. I knew he was actually teary-eyed because of the movie we were watching. It was a sweet but tragic love story, and it was bound to make anyone cry, but Mr. Cool here would never admit it, not even over his dead body, that he actually got teary-eyed over the movie.

"C'mon…don't hide your tears. You know you wanna cry…" I teased him again.

"No I don't. Quit it."

"No. Look at me…C'mon…" I said again as I shifted and leaned closer to him, and angled my face to get into his view. I couldn't help but laugh as his need to maintain his machismo. He finally turned to look at me with a mock glare. It made me laugh even harder. Without realizing it, I lost my balance and slipped off the couch and fell right onto the floor on my ass. That immediately made him laughed.

"What a klutz." He said in between his laughter.

I bit my lower lip and decided that I needed a little revenge. I picked up a cushion lying nearby and flung it at him. It hit him squarely on the face. Before I knew it, his fingers had reached out to my sides and I was screaming, thrashing and giggling wildly, trying to get away from him.

_**So when you turn to hide your eyes  
Cause the movie, it made you cry  
That's when I love you  
I love you a little more each time**_

………………………………………………………

"Green and silver."

I made a face.

"Then what? I hate this thing. Why do you even want to go there to eat anyway? I have to wear a stupid tie to this stupid place just to eat some stupid dinner." He complained.

"Cause everyone says it's one of the best places to eat, the place even received rave reviews." I explained.

"Please. Like I care." He rolled his eyes and stuck his tongue out.

He then held up a silver tie to a white shirt. I shook my head again. He groaned and went in search for something else. Sometimes, when it comes to matching his clothes, he's pretty bad at it. The only colors that he practically wears all the time is black and white, or navy blue and white.

"What about this?" He said as he came out of the walk-in closet, holding the silver tie with a black shirt. I nodded appreciatively.

"Finally!"

I grinned and walked up to him. He narrowed his eyes to look at me.

"If it wasn't for you I wouldn't even bother to go through this. You're one lucky babe."

"Call me babe one more time and I'll make sure that the tie won't be the only thing to choke you to death." I joked as I shook my fist at his face playfully.

His eyes widen and gave me a mock look of terror. I couldn't help but laugh at his reaction.

"Just get dressed and hurry up. I don't want to be late." I said.

"What's the goddamn place called again?"

"Heaven."

"Heaven my ass." He then started to laugh.

I raised an eyebrow at his sudden outburst.

"I bet my ass is even more heavenly that that goddamn restaurant." He said in between his laughter.

I shook my head, not exactly getting his joke, that is if it was even considered as a joke. I shrugged and walked out the room, hiding the smile on my face.

_**And when you can't quite match your clothes  
Or when you laugh at your own jokes  
That's when I love you  
I love you more than you know**_

………………………………………………………

"Oh shit. Fucking crap. Damn!"

I stood by the door of my bar and watch him cursing a stream of words as he crossed the street.

"Late again huh?" Lynn said as she passed me.

I nodded briefly before turning to look at him again. He came up to the door, looking all breathless and flushed out. Lynn made a face at him and mouthed the words 'Late-boy' before walking away, giggling to herself. I stared at him through the glass of the door. I crossed my arms and contemplated if I should open the door or just leave him out there.

He looked at me with his eyes pleading, his lips drawn to a thin line before forming a slight pout. He then let his eyes wander to the ground, casting a sad look on his face. It was as if the word 'guilty' was stamped all over his face.

His eyes wander back up to me, with the hint of apology in his blue eyes. I stared at him for a moment before finally relenting to the smile that was creeping onto my face.

_**And when you forget that we had a date  
Or that look that you give when you show up late  
Baby I love you  
I love you anyway**_

………………………………………………………

_I watch her laugh, the sound sounding so sweet to my ears. I watch as she tucked a stray raven hair behind her ears. She then turned to look at me in the eye, shooting me with those amazing brown eyes of hers that radiated the love from within. Never did I imagine that gaze of hers would ever fall on me, her ex-enemy…one who had tried to kill her on many occasions. _

_Little did I know, along the way, somehow, somewhere, something came up. A feeling that I had denied and ignored all the while. My ego was the one thing stopping me from admitting it. When I finally acknowledge the feeling, no words were needed to explain myself._

_Having her here beside me seems too good to be true, I wondered what did I do to deserve her…_

"_Why do you like me anyway?" I suddenly asked, feeling a sudden urge to know._

"_What you mean?"_

"_Despite all my fucking attitude and everything, you…"_

_She interjected before I could continue._

"_You mean despite you being like a rock sometimes, despite you stumbling over words of affection, despite you walking like you have two left feet, despite you being unable to match your clothes at time, despite you being so forgetful at times, despite you laughing at your own jokes when no one else gets it, and, despite you trying to hide the times you cried over a movie?" she said with a huge grin on her face._

_I almost blush at her words, almost anyway. I nodded lightly and waited for her words._

"_Well, despite all that…fucking attitude of yours…" she said the word 'fucking' in a teasing way of hers, making me chuckle, "…I actually, don't like you at all."_

_My eyebrows shot up in surprise at her words. She smiled and turned to look away before looking back at me._

"_I don't like you Reno. I love you. Despite all that, I just…love you." She said simply._

_The words hit me with a bigger impact than I thought. I was a little at shock at her words, I had never expected to hear those words from her._

"_But…why?" I just had to ask._

"_Cause you accepted me for all that I am. You never asked me to be someone else, you never expected me to. You accepted my past, you saw me for who I am. And for that…it's enough to make me love you despite everything."_

_A smile crept to my face as I pulled her close to me. I felt like I was the luckiest bastard alive. It felt so right just to have her in my arms, and finally I felt safe enough to love someone and to be me._

"_I love you." I whispered softly._

_**Cause here's my promise made tonight  
You can count on me for life  
Cause that's when I love you  
When nothing you do could change my mind  
The more I learn the more I love  
The more my heart can't get enough  
That's when I love you  
When I love you no matter what**_

**Disclaimer: Final Fantasy 7 and its characters are under their respective owners. The song, 'That's When I Love You' by Aslyn, is under the artiste and her respective recording company. No copyright infringement intended.**

**A/N: Yeah, so that's it. My first attempt at a Final Fantasy fic, an attempt at Reno x Tifa one-shot. A scary first attempt actually, pretty nervous...but...here it is. Lol**


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